Downton Abbey is on this evening and it seems the perfect moment to drink Claret. While I don’t have this wine on hand tonight, I was remembering a fantastic seminar I did on these wines some years ago at the Society of Wine Educators conference. The winery, Chateau Lagrange in St.-Julien, has been active for over 600 years. The winery is a Third Growth in the Classification of 1855 and is a very large estate with over 113 hectares. It was bought by the Japanese in the 1980s. The winery is planted with the classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot specifically. The winemaker, Bruno Eynard gave the seminar during the Society of Wine Educator’s event and it was a very educational and intriguing experience.

Downton Abbey always brings to mind my friend Kathy Blake, the author of the Experimental Gourmand, a fantastic chef and fan of the series who during one series made classic dishes that paired well with the period piece. I am interested to see what she comes up with this year even though I won’t be partaking in the festivities.